Electives (36 units)

All students are required to take a minimum of 36 units of Ph.D. level electives.  These electives provide depth in an area of relevance to the student.  This requirement can be filled by a combination of mini’s (6 unit) and full (12 unit) courses. Please note that courses must be at the level of 08-700 or above to count as a COS elective.  These electives can be drawn from a variety of sources:

• A specialized independent study on a topic for which there is not a regularly offered course.  At most 12 units of independent study can count toward the COS elective requirement.
• Additional courses in COS
• Additional courses in SCS
• Additional Ph.D. level courses at CMU or University of Pittsburgh.  At most one can be a course at the University of Pittsburgh.